Double success at MiCom 2024
The Bio Pilot Plant shines with two awards for female scientists
| by Friederike Gawlik
At MiCom 2024, two scientists from the Leibniz-HKI were honored for their outstanding achievements. Prof. Dr. Miriam Agler-Rosenbaum was honored by the Jena School for Microbial Communication (JSMC) as “Best Supervisor”, while her supervised PhD student Sara Al Sbei was awarded for “Best Talk”. The award ceremony took place at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. MiCom 2024 is an international conference on microbial communication organized by the doctoral researchers of the JSMC graduate school every two years.
Miriam Agler-Rosenbaum: The best care at the highest level
The JSMC recognized Agler-Rosenbaum for her excellent supervision of doctoral researchers and postdocs in the field of biotechnology. As head of the Bio Pilot Plant at the Leibniz-HKI, Miriam Agler-Rosenbaum is appreciated by her group for her flexibility, open manner and empathetic support. “She is always there to help,” is a common praise from the young JSMC scientists. The pleasant working atmosphere in her team, which is characterized by her relaxed manner and decisiveness, is also particularly emphasized.
Agler-Rosenbaum was visibly moved during the interview: “I am very pleased that my type of supervision is so well received and recognized by the doctoral researchers.” For her, it is crucial to perceive her employees as people and to take into account both their professional and personal challenges. “Our work is part of life. It's not just about scientific results, but also about understanding and supporting people as a whole.” When asked what advice she would give to young researchers, she says: “Seek advice and talk about problems – different perspectives usually offer the best solutions.”
Sara Al Sbei: Best scientific talk at MiCom 2024
Sara Al Sbei, who is working on her doctoral thesis at the Bio Pilot Plant, was also honored at MiCom 2024. She received the prize for the best talk for her presentation on her research in the field of bioelectrochemistry. In her doctoral project “ESCAPE”, Al Sbei is working on microbial electrosynthesis, in which microorganisms fix CO2 and convert it into chemical compounds through electron transfer. Her research could contribute to reducing CO2 in the atmosphere and at the same time offers promising approaches for the production of biotechnological products.
“The award means a lot to me, especially as I have just returned from parental leave,” explained Al Sbei after the award ceremony. She was particularly pleased that she was able to present her research in such an understandable way despite the diverse scientific backgrounds of the conference participants. “I tried to keep my presentation as simple as possible, which made it easier to get to the heart of the matter.”
A sign of excellence and cooperation
With the awards for Miriam Agler-Rosenbaum and Sara Al Sbei, two very dedicated scientists were honored whose work is not only characterized by a strong research spirit, but also by the support and cooperation within the team. The awards illustrate how important it is to make research not only excellent, but also accessible and understandable.
